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How much should I budget for my first year of BTech studies in the USA?

04 Oct 2026 · Answered by Pallavi Attri · 2 min read
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Your first year of BTech in the USA will likely cost between INR 30 lakh and 40 lakh or more, depending on the university. Northeastern University, University of Central Florida, and Yale University rank among the priciest options, while schools like Purdue and Georgia Tech tend to cost less.

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Planning your BTech budget for the USA starts with knowing the tuition range you are working with. Most universities charge somewhere between INR 30 lakh and 40 lakh for your first year, though some premium schools go well beyond that.

First-Year BTech Tuition at Top US Universities

UniversityTuition Fee
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)INR 58 L
Stanford UniversityINR 61 L - 62 L
University of California, BerkeleyINR 28 L - 46 L
Harvard UniversityINR 54 L
California Institute of TechnologyINR 57 L - 59 L
Georgia Institute of TechnologyINR 31 L
Carnegie Mellon UniversityINR 58 L - 83 L
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)INR 45 L
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignINR 31 L - 40 L
Purdue UniversityINR 26 L - 30 L

Where the Most Expensive Options Sit

Among these schools, Northeastern University tends to be the costliest for select specializations, with University of Central Florida and Yale University not far behind. Choosing a public university such as Purdue or Georgia Tech can help you keep first-year costs lower.

My Advice

Match your university shortlist to your budget early, since tuition alone can swing by nearly INR 30 lakh across these schools. Factor in scholarships and assistantships, which can meaningfully narrow that gap for you.

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